


Scarlet's First Date

by Abarekiller



Category: Star Darlings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-08-10 22:54:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7864678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abarekiller/pseuds/Abarekiller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the first time, one of the star darlings has a chance to grant an impossible wish…and it’s a date with a human? Scarlet isn’t too fond of this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scarlet's First Date

April 30th

_“Scarlet, I have a very important mission for you?” Lady Stella spoke._

Scarlet gritted her teeth as she made her way down the sidewalk on earth.

_“Wow, really?” Leona stared in disbelief at her roommate, “You are going to wish world to make an impossible wish come true? That’s so neat.”_

_“It’s whatever.” Scarlet shrugged; she was wearing her disdain for this mission on her face._

_“Wow…an impossible wish,” Sage said, smiling, “I wonder what that kind of wish it would have to be in order for it to make its orb glow so brightly.” She was practically radiating more so then usual from the thought._

_“Actually…we already know what the wish is…”_

_“Really?” Libby raised an eyebrow, “What is it?”_

_Eyes of anticipation locked onto scarlet, but nothing was said._

_“Come on, girl.” Leona piped up. “Don’t leave us in suspense.”_

_“…a date…” Scarlet said under her breath._

_“E-excuse me?” Sage cocked an eyebrow with confusion._

_“I have to go on a date…”_

_“Wow,” Leona looked at Scarlet with wide-eyes.” I always said you needed to get out more, but I didn’t think it was impossible.”_

_“It’s not for me, it’s for the wishling.”_

Scarlet screamed into the sky, scaring all passersby within ear shot; causing some on the other side of the street to flinch. This scream lasted for half a minute.

Breathing heavily, a bead of sweat dripped down from her chin. Ignoring the stares from those around herself, she reluctantly continued her way down the street.

She wasn’t looking forward to this at all.

After a few grueling moments, the young starling had finally reached her destination: a small park. Just a simple place where adults would come for their morning jogs; children would come to hang from the jungle gym. A place where a young couple would come to meet up before going on a-

Scarlet shook her head from THAT thought. She continued on the pathway until she got to her designation spot; a small little bench that was watching over a small fountain that was located in the middle of the small little patch of nature.

Standing next to the bench, she pulled out her starphone out of her jacket and checked the time.

“Only a couple of minutes left…great…” the young starling rolled her eyes.

Whenever a starling comes to earth, their appearance goes under a transformation so that they can blend in with the local lifeforms and not bring any attention to themselves. Though there were many exceptions for this special mission, this one rule was no different. Though this time, her attire was more…fitting for the role that the young starling must take.

Scarlet let out a sigh of defeat as she placed the phone back into her pocket. With her short black hair, she wore a hot pink shirt with a sleeveless jean jacket on top of it; a pair of pants with a pink mini-skirt on top of it.

A cold shiver ran down Scarlet’s neck.

Someone was staring at her.

Snapping backwards, the young starling turned to see who exactly it was looking at her.

All she saw was a large white building standing tall over-looming the small park – it was a hospital. From this angle, there were many windows of the large building that were open; perhaps the gaze that she was feeling was that of an old man that was looking towards the park  studying its detail, hoping to have something to remember before he moves onto the next life. It was that, or Scarlet was left with some old peeper checking her out.

The young starling shivered at the thought.

Scarlet’s eyes flicked to an open window; someone was most definitely watching her.

Then everything went black.

No time to even think about it, Scarlet struck.

A cry of pain echoed the air of the park as the light returned to Scarlet’s eyes once more. The hands that covered her senses now removed.

Before the assailant could have a moment to react, she quickly turned her body. She prepared to strike at the man. Her fist was ready to meet nose.

“Wait!”

Scarlet stopped, to get a good look at the wishling that threatened her personal space. Nothing really extraordinary about him, brown hair combed down; he wore jeans a black shirt and a jacket.

“Just give me one reason, punk.” Scarlet snarled, fist still clenched. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t!”

“Y-you’re Scarlet, right?” the young man raised his hands to defend himself. “You’re the starling right? With the Star Darlings, right? The person I’m supposed to meet”

“W-wait?” Scarlet was taken back by how her identity was so easily uncovered. “How did you know?”

This time, it was the young man’s turn to be confused, “What do you mean?” he asked, “Didn’t that Stella lady tell you that this mission was different?” with a hand on his knee he started to get up.

No, Scarlet shook her head in annoyance, this couldn’t be.

As the man stood up, he looked at his attacker. “My name is “Gabe,” short for Gabriel.” He smiled softly, “I will be your date for this evening.” He put out his hand, a friendly gesture.

Scarlet just looked at the hand, the she looked back at the boy that was attached to it. Just one punch, that’s was all I need, she thought to herself.

“So, you are my wisher?” Scarlet asked.

“Yep,” he smiled gently.

That smile sent a chill down her neck, something about this didn’t seem right. “So, you are the one with the impossible wish?” she asked, she had to be sure about this.

“Yep!”

Now Scarlet was confused. Sure, he wasn’t exactly a pin-up calendar model, but he wasn’t exactly ugly. He felt like someone that half the other Star Darlings would find cute. So why? Why was his “wish” considered impossible under normal circumstances of Starland?

“Wow,” Gabe said as he looked at Scarlet, “You are prettier than your picture,”

Just one punch was all that she needed, “Wait, picture? What picture?” Scarlet asked.

“Well of course,” He raised a finger, as if pointing out the obvious, “When Mrs. Stella and I made this arrangement, and she provided me pictures of you and your friends that could fulfill my wish..”

This was new information for the Starling. Wait, Scarlet thought to herself, did that mean?

Gabe nodded, as if to answer the question, “And out of everyone, I thought you were the cutest of them all.”

Scarlet turned red. Had Leona heard about this, she didn’t know how that girl would have reacted. Would she have yelled at the wishling for being insulted, or would she had laughed at Scarlet over the fact that some boy thought that she was “pretty” or “cute.” Scarlet wanted to punch this man – just once.

“Though,” He crossed his arms, “I have to say, your Starling self is much better looking than this earth disguise.” Than he smiled, “Luckily, I’m allowed to look through it.”

All of a sudden, Scarlet felt like her personal space was being invaded. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around her chest; it felt like the wishling was looking at her naked. He was really starting to creep her out.

Smiling, the young man just pulled out a phone from his pocket; he looked at the time. “Let’s see, the movie starts at Seven O’clock.” He said, as if looking at the scheduled in his notes. “We have about an hour and a half before the film starts. You seem like you would be a gamer.” He stated, “Would you like to go to a videogame store before the film? Then again, you’re an alien, the games we have probably wouldn’t be compatible with anything you have on your world. Or would they? This is so confusing.”

Scarlet stood there, dumbfounded. For a moment, she had nearly forgotten the reason for all of this. “Wait…you serious?” She pointed at him questioningly, “We, as in ‘US,’ are actually going to go on a date?” she asked, “Like, a DATE-date?”

Gabe smiled, “Yep,” he said as he looked back down at his phone. “Then after the film, we would go out to eat at a nice restaurant, and then a nice simple walk in the park afterwards to end it.”

Wait that was it? Scarlet asked herself. That was such a bare-bone list. This man was asking for an impossible wish. Something that would never be granted, something that by its very definition was impossible for anyone on Starland to perform – and he was wasting it on some “Dating for Idiots” list.

He looked at her in confusion. “Is something wrong?” he asked, as if he was naïve enough to not know exactly what the issue was.

Scarlet shrugged her shoulders as she put her hands in her coat pocket, “Whatever,” she said as she turned away. “Let’s just get this day over with, so I can collect the wish energy and be over with.” If it was a simple wish, why couldn’t Scarlet do it? If it could be done with such little effort - who cared how she did it.

Gabe covered his mouth a bit as he chuckled, “As you wish,” he laughed at his little joke.

Meanwhile, someone was watching from behind a closed curtain.

Scarlet stared at the shelves in the store; rows of videogames covered the shelves as well as decorated the walls of the store. There were some games that she was interested in, but most of them were games she had picked up from her other journeys to wishland – videogames, as well as movies, were probably one of her favorite things when regarding the culture that was earth. For a world that seemed so primitive - they had such a big imagination that often ranged to things that overshadowed Starland.

She picked up another racing game; she turned it over to get a good at the details on the back. She wanted to try driving one of these “race cars” someday.

Scarlet turned to look behind her, looking at her “date,” he was standing not too far from her and he was looking between two game cases one of a fighting game and a shooting game. Something about his gaze told her that he was lost.

“Hey, Gabe.” Scarlet called out, “What type of games do you like to play?” she asked. She sighed in defeat; she needed to make sure that this “date” ran smoothly. After all, if by the end of the night that this doesn’t work, she could kiss that wish energy good-bye.

It was as if the young wishling was lost in thought, looking between the different cases were lined up in front of him, as if these were the first times he had ever seen these types of games before. “Nothing ‘childish,’” he finally answered.

She cocked an eyebrow, that wasn’t exactly the type of answer she was expecting to hear from this man. In fact, the tone between the two of them had almost certainly changed. Since they entered this place, it was like he was a different man; with different thoughts going through his head. As if he wasn’t actually here.

Scarlet sighed in defeat as she put the videogame back down on the shelf. This wasn’t going anywhere, she figured.

“Hey, Gabe.” She grabbed the young man by the arm.

Surprised, he looked at her.

“The movie should be starting soon, so we need to be going.” She stated.

He blinked a couple of times, “Yeah, I believe your right,” he smiled.

Well, at least that was back to normal, Scarlet thought to herself.

So the two of them headed for the front doors – at least that was until Gabe stopped and looked over at the counter.

Scarlet turned back to look at him, to see exactly what it was that had caught his attention. There was something that was causing him to stare so intensely; she just had to see.

It was a game, a videogame called “Starmonz,” an insanely popular children videogame franchise; it was the seventh in the series. It had a large cardboard label next to it that said “Pre-order,” apparently; it was supposed to be coming out this fall in just a few months.

Gabe was just staring intensely at the box, Scarlet noted that it almost was like he was wearing a sadden face as he was just looking at.

Was he trying to pretend he didn’t like playing kid games? Sure, that sounded like it made sense; but something felt off. Those eyes didn’t resonate with those thoughts.

“Excuse me!” The cashier came up to them, “Did you see something you like?” he asked.

The young man shook himself from his stupor, returning back to the world. “Nah,” he quickly added, shaking his head.

“You sure?” the cashier asked with as much sincere as one in his job could, “We have a great deal on pre-orders. I hear that Starmonz VII: Nocturnal is supposed to be one of the best in the franchise.”

For a moment, it was as if a bit of light shined in Gabe’s eyes, but he shook his head. “Thanks, but no thanks.” She said, “It wouldn’t do me any good even if I did get it.” He stated.

The cashier just shook his head, “Alright, how about next time.”

Gabe just smiled, and he walked away – not saying a word. Scarlet couldn’t help but take notice of how abruptly that conversation just ended; but she just shook it off. The young man was just concentrated on the date, that he just didn’t want to get distracted was all. She sighed as she followed him out of the store.

Well, perhaps the movies will be a better place. At least then, if things got silent between the two of them, then at least it would be appropriate. It would at least be a waste of two hours of this date, meaning it would be close to two more hours for the date to be over with.

Just so long as the film wasn’t-

-A Chick flick. It was a freaking chick flick. Scarlet moaned silently to herself in the darkened theatre. Thirty minutes into the film and she was already bored as all hell.

It was your typical kind of story. These kinds of films fit more Sage’s or Cassie’s or even Libby’s types of tastes, if, you know, they saw movies.

Nah, what Scarlet was more interested in were the Superhero comic book movies, or those space war movies (she did realize the irony), now those were what she liked. She wanted something fun and entertaining to waste a couple of hours on – not some slice-of-life drama that she could get back at home.

Scarlet rested her head on her hand as she leaned over, she was waiting for it; that inevitable movie move. Of course the guy chose the flick because he was hoping that she was going to get sappy, or something, and was hoping to wrap his arms around her to comfort her.

This movie should have been a horror flick, she thought to herself, at least then I could enjoy the blood and gore. Of course, he would probably be the one to jump and she would have to comfort him.

And so she waited for the inevitable.

She waited for his move.

She waited for the moment where she was going to knock his lights out.

She waited.

But it never came.

Scarlet looked over at her date.

Instead of what she was expecting, she was taken back by the reality.

He eyes was purely on the film. He was completely invested in the movie. He was looking at it, as if he was completely engrossed into the movie.

It was as if he had come for the “movie move” but instead stayed for the film.

She couldn’t help but stare at him. Why was it that this film had caught his attention so much? It wasn’t an interesting movie. It was just a film of a woman going through her everyday life; in the end, after her hardships, she was going to end with the man that she loved.

It was nothing special, nothing fascinating – just typical things people did at home.

But no - he was completely pulled into the movie.

Why? She may never know; but she couldn’t help but stare at his reactions.

Scarlet didn’t watch much of the film; she found something a little more interesting.

“So, what are you going to get?” Gabe asked from across the table.

“Don’t know,” Scarlet answered, looking over the menu. “Haven’t really decided yet.”

The restaurant itself was nice; it wasn’t a four star or anything – making this easily something up Scarlet’s alley.

The movie had ended on not much a note; they left the film without much of a word and headed over here. He asked her some questions about the movie, which she didn’t have much answers for as she wasn’t really watching it.

“So, have you been here before?” Scarlet asked, trying to make idle chitchat – something she wasn’t used to doing. “Is the food any good?” she glanced up from over the menu.

“Oh yes,” her date answered. “Many times.”

Something was wrong. Scarlet was looking over at the young man - it seemed like he was looking over each menu item carefully, as if he was trying to decipher some weird text that he had never discovered before. As if trying to study ever single detail and put them to memory.

But before Scarlet could start to question anything; the waiter came up to the table.

“Are you two ready to order?”

Gabe didn’t reply, as if he was just lost in thought as he looked over the menu items.

She sighed, “You know,” she said leaning over the table. “If you want to get a burger and some fries, that’s okay” Scarlet remembered back to the videogame store, perhaps it was another one of those moments.

She was right.

For a moment, as he looked up at Scarlet; she could have sworn that she saw a smile – not just any type of smile, but a more sincere childish smile.

Gabe turned to the server. “Ready!” he answered.

“And what would you two like?”

“I just want the standard.” Gabe replied. “I’ll have it with only ketchup, mayonnaise, and cheese; and with an order of fries.”

“Alright, and what of your second side.”

It looked like Scarlet’s date was actually taken back by the idea of “two side items.” “Oh,” he stuttered, “Just make it two orders of fries.” So he hasn’t been here before, she noted.

“Alright,” the server turned to the young starling in disguise, “and what about you, Miss?”

Scarlet just looked once more at the menu, as if just to confirm her choices; She smiled. She knew exactly what she wanted. She didn’t often get to eat at restaurants when she came to earth, and it wasn’t like she was paying for this meal. She wanted THAT.

“I want the prime rib, medium rare; with a baked-potatoe; as well the steamed broccoli.” She stated, with no doubt in her mind. “and let’s add a little shrimp on the top.”

She could see Gabe’s expression turn to shock.

The waiter repeated the order to make sure everything was correct; took the menus and left the couple to themselves.

For a moment, there was just quiet between the two.

Looking from side to side, to make sure that no one was listening, Gabe leaned closer, he spoke in a soft tone so that no one other than the two of them could hear them. “I thought Starlings were vegetarians?”

Scarlet sighed. So that was it. He was studying the menu items so intensely so that he wouldn’t offend her.

“Yeah, we kind of are,” she shrugged her shoulders. “I guess it is just another reason why I can’t wait until I leave Starling Academy and I move down here to earth.” She smiled hungrily. “The meat here is absolutely delicious.”

For a moment, a split second, Scarlet could have sworn she saw a bit of sadness in the eyes of her date – almost a shade of pity.

But Gabe just smiled.

“Tell me more,” he smiled gently, “Tell me more about you and about Starland.”

“ummm,” Scarlet cocked her eyebrow, “sure…”

And so the conversation started.

Dinner came and went – with Scarlet enjoying her bloody meat immensely. They paid for the meal and headed back to the park that they met at. The conversation in the restaurant went pretty well, and then…

Nothing.

Nothing was happening.

The two was just walking. They were walking in silence as they strolled the pathway of the park. It was near the end of the night, only about an hour to midnight and nothing happened. There was just silence between them.

As they walked side-by-side, Scarlet glanced over the young man. He wore a stoic expression, as if he was lost in thought, as if he was anywhere but right beside her.

It irritated her.

It vexed her.

There was something else, something that was stabbing at Scarlet.

She stopped; she just stood there as the light of the lamp post shined on her. She saw her shadow reach off to the edges.

“Let’s stop this.” She said.

Gabe turned to look at her.

“Let’s just drop it,” Scarlet demanded, “This date, I mean.”

The young wishling looked at her in confusion.

“This isn’t a date.” Scarlet finally pointed out, “Not like this, it isn’t.”

Gabe didn’t say anything.

“Look I get it,” She huffed as she shoved her hands into jacket. “I’m not exactly ‘girlfriend’ material.” She stated. “Heck, I’m hardly ‘friend’ material, if you were to ask any other starling they would agree.”

Only silence.

She continued, “I get it, alright; I’m cold, and I do not like people in general. The only reason I came here was to grant your wish.”

“I know this isn’t exactly the ‘dream date’ that you wanted, this is just the kind of person I am.”

“I just don’t connect with people, not even with other Starlings. You understand? I don’t know why you even picked me to be your granter, I’m the worst choice.”

Gabe just looked on.

“I know I didn’t grant your wish, but there are other Star Darlings. They would have been more fit for this mission than I would have. They would have been more fit to play the role as the “girlfriend.”

“So yeah,” Scarlet continued, “What I’m trying to say is,” she looked away, not wanting to cross eyes with the young wishling. “I’m sorry.”

Silence filled the tone between the two, Scarlet finally saying the words that had been on her mind since the start.

But the silence was broken.

“What are you talking about?” Gabe spoke up,

Scarlet eyed him.

“I’m enjoying myself.”

Scarlet shook her head in confusion, “What?”

“Yeah, tonight has been fun.” He stated, as if it he had believed that this was a common thought that was shared between them.

The young starling just looked at him.

Gabe sighed, as if he had hurt himself. “I apologize if it felt like I was being distant.” He said scratching his head, as if ashamed. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Scarlet just looked at him.

“I don’t exactly get along with people,” he started, “I try to act like a goof and get along with others, but really I just distant myself away from those same people. I feel that every time that I speak with someone, my words would bridge a gap between us – I do this not only with friends, but my family as well. I hope that they would only see me as the “goof” and not bother with me, leaving me alone.”

Silence.

“It just seems like the more I act the part, the further I push them away. I feel that if I push them away, that no one would get hurt when we have to say our goodbyes.”

Scarlet spoke up, “Then why?”

“Why this date?” Gabe asked, “I guess it’s like you said so yourself.”

She was confused.

“If it was anyone else, then I wouldn’t be able to be near them; but when I saw you, I felt you would feel the same way.”

Scarlet had to think about it; he was right. Leona would have probably been annoyed with his more silent nature, and barked at him to pay more attention to her; causing her to take control of the date. Sage would have tried to get to know him better and try to get him more on the conversation, trying to find out more about him – something she noticed that he was not exactly too keen on. Gemma would have talked his ears off.

“I know it’s confusing.” He continued, “but the fact that I am here, with you right now, I can’t help but smile. I see you standing there, and I know that we don’t speak, but I feel content just having you next to me. It just makes my heart feel warmer just having you around next to me.”

Scarlet said nothing, she could feel her cheeks heat up.

“I know it sounds like ‘love at first sight,’ Gabe continued, “But, really, I think I finally understand, what real love is. That it feels great to have people that you care for, or that cares for you around. You may not show it, but the love is there. And even if you distant yourself from them, you know that they will always be there to close the gap.”

Suddenly, the images of the other eleven members of the star darlings flashed in Scarlet’s head.

She smiled.

“I t-think, I know exactly how you feel.”

Gabe smiled, “Come on, let’s go,”

Scarlet smiled back, “Yeah.”

Then the two of them walked; not saying a word – but just enjoying the company of each other’s presence. Though they were in silence, there was no better feeling.

Time went on as the two made their way back to their meeting point. The night was almost over and the atmosphere was good between the two.

Gabe pulled out his phone, “Oh, it’s that time, already?”

Scarlet pulled out her star phone, it definitely was getting late.

“Hey, Scarlet?”

“Yeah?”

“You know what my wish is, right?”

Scarlet was confused, “Yeah, it’s to have a date.” Where was he going with this? She thought.

“Yeah, that’s right, a ‘Date.’ He smiled.

“Can I kiss you?”

The starling went wide-eyed. “What?”

“Well, I mean, a date doesn’t properly end until the couple ‘kisses,’ that’s common earth knowledge.”

Scarlet suddenly went red-faced. She was speechless. This was the one thing that she wasn’t expecting how this date was going to end. Was there no way to escape this? Her heart was going miles a minute.

“So, can I?” Gabe asked.

She just looked at the man; her anxiety was getting to her. She couldn’t calm herself. But there was something, something that told her to ease. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was.

“O-okay,” Scarlet said, her voice cracked a bit under her internal pressure.

“Alright,” Gabe smiled, “Close your eyes.”

She did as she was told. In the darkness, it felt worst. She could feel her whole body tense up. She still pushed forward as she puckered up her lips. This was it. This was going to be her first time.

But it never came.

“You look nervous,” a voice came outside her darkness. “Could it be you never kissed anyone before?”

Scarlet couldn’t speak, she was in complete darkness. She couldn’t dare look the young man in the eyes, if she did; surely she would have knocked him out if he was even looking at her slightly.

She just nodded.

“I see,” that soft voice came from the other side; “Then, instead of your first, then I’ll just do this.”

She felt something pressed up against her forehead. Scarlet opened her eyes, slowly.

She opened her eyes to find that the young man’s chin just above her gaze. He was kissing her forehead; just under her hair.

She turned a slightly less red.

He pulled away from Scarlet, and just looked her in the eyes. She could feel her heart skip-a beat just from being under his gaze.

“A-are you sure?” Scarlet asked with a break in her voice. “about the kiss, I mean?” a piece of her felt disappointed.

Gabe just smiled at her.

“A sweet girl like you shouldn’t have to be forced to give their first kiss to someone just because of some stupid wish.”

Scarlet felt her heart thump

“Especially, not with someone that is about to die.”

“What?”

“Thank you, Scarlet. Thank you for granting my wish.”

Suddenly a blinding light erupted from beneath Scarlet. A blinding light never created when granting a good wish. No, this was only a possible light that can only with the impossible.

It felt like a light that could rival that of the stars that broke through the darkness of the night. A light so bright, that no one, not even a Starling, could look into. For that, Scarlet was blinded. The Impossible light made possible wiped away any shadows that would have dared to try and engulf her life.

This was the light that was hope. The light of hope that is created when Wishes and Dreams comes true in the hearts of humans. It was the very power that fueled imagination and moved mankind forward.

Then the light started to die back down, as Scarlet’s wish pendant started to adapt and control the massive power it was emitting.

The young starling was beginning to gain vision, the blinding light that erupted from her feet started to fade. She was beginning to see. The image that was the forest before her was starting to take shape in her eyes.

“Gabe, are you alright,” she called out, still unable to make out any shadows.

There were no answers.

“Gabe?” her vision was starting to stabilize, her eyes were beginning to adapted to the darkness.

He said nothing.

“G-Gabe?” she asked again, her sight now coming back to normal. She could clearly make out things round her.

There was no one there.

“Gabe?”

She was all alone. It was just her in that little area, just the trees and the silent wind that blew through the night sky.

She called out again.

There was no answer.

No matter how many times she called out to her friend, she never got a reply. There was no sign of him.

She never took notice of the dark shadow watching her.

The figure watched Scarlet from a far, from the window of the building, she watched as the young starling called out to her date. The shadow watching from the hospital couldn’t help but feel the melancholic tone that travelled in the air.

“You know, you must have really made quite the impression on Scarlet,” Lady Stella said, turning away from the window. She placed down a book she was holding next to a bunch of other “love story” novels that had been collected, on the side table of the room.

“So, how was it?” she turned to the bed in the room, “How was the date?”

“It was fine,” a small voice spoke up from near her.

The small beeping sounds echoed through the room as machines went to work to keep tab on its patient.

“Was it everything you wished for?” Lady Stella of Starling Academy asked.

But the small figure in the bed never replied.

“Is everything alright, Gabriel?”

“No,” the bed-ridden patient spoke, “Of course everything is not alright, nothing will ever be ‘alright’” he stated.

Silence.

“No matter how well I hide my age, or even with you using magic to make me look like older, it doesn’t matter. I’m only ten.”

In the bed of the hospital, laid a small child, mature looking for his age – a face that had seemed to be hurt by forced isolation. Eyes that told that what sickness that he had was hurting him badly, draining away at him both physically and spiritually – he didn’t have much time left.

Lady Stella turned away, not to look at the child – knowing he would rather not be seen in pain.

“I just wanted to know what it was like to be an adult.” He stated, as if recalling his wish. “I wanted to be able to experience love like in those books; like the love my brother would use to tell me about, about him and his girlfriend.”

Stella couldn’t say anything.

“It’s not like I’m scared of dying, Mrs. Stella. I have lived in hospital rooms for as long as I can remember, it isn’t like I had much a life worth living. It’s just…”

The beeping in the room continued; ticking away - reminding its patient that his timer was ticking down.

“It’s just, I thought if I could feel what it was like to be a grown up, to know what it was to love someone. I thought I would be able to just pass away peacefully. But now, now that I had gone out with Miss Scarlet…”

The older woman closed her eyes, tightly as she didn’t want to be the one to experience what was to happen next.

“I-I don’t care how pathetic my life is-” she could hear his voice begin to break.

“I don’t want to die!”

And he started to cry.

Stella made her way over to the young child’s side; she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Do you regret it?” Stella asked, like a mother speaking to her child. “Do you regret your wish?”

Tears still streamed from his eyes, “No,” he said between his sobs. “This was the best day of my life.” He smiled, “Thank you, Mrs. Stella.”

Lady Stella smiled warmly as she reached down, hugging the young child - and he returned the favor.

“C-could you please tell Miss Scarlet, that I said, “Thank you,” Gabriel asked, “and that I hope to see her again.”

She looked at the young child with a warm smile. “Of course, sweetie.” She said.

“A-also…” he spoke, as if afraid to make another wish; “C-could you please stay with me - for a little bit longer?” He asked, “Just until I fall asleep?”

Stella took a seat beside him, holding his hand in hers. “Of course.” She said.

“Thank you,” Gabriel smiled at the strange alien that had come to grant his wish, he held onto her. He could feel his eye lids grow heavy as the world around him started to fade.

Slowly, he shut his eyes - falling into a deep sleep.

A gentle smile on his face as he rested.

April 30th

11: 49:21 PM

Gabriel Matthews passes away

Scarlet laid there on her bed, back at Starland Academy. Leona was off doing who knows what, but for now that was fine – she wasn’t exactly in the mood for any of that.

She never could find Gabriel and with her mission on earth completed, she had to return back to Starland. She turned over the wish energy to Lady Stella, and Scarlet wanted to ask questions about the young man, but all she was told that it was a long night and that she needed to get some sleep. She was promised answers, just not that night.

So there Scarlet was, just staring off into the stars that hung over in the night sky. She was alone now, but her thoughts continued back to the wishling she just had her first date with.

At times before she tried to sleep, she would be looking at the earth instead of the stars, trying to dream of a world she wanted to live on; but now, now she could only look at the stars the twinkled in the night sky.

She continued to think about the date.

About what the boy said.

She thought about the other Star Darlings.

Perhaps, in the morning…maybe she wouldn’t yell at Leona as much as she usually does. Perhaps she would even let Libby do her hair a bit. Maybe show Sage even a little bit of the observation deck; perhaps give her a little tutoring about star power.

As she laid there in bed, thinking about the next day – about the other starlings; she noticed something strange.

Many times, she would be staring at the night sky, but this night in particular was different.

It was odd, Scarlet thought.

As she looked at the stars that drifted in the endless space, she couldn’t help but feel that something was different.

She could count an extra star.


End file.
